Panama postage stamps year 1964 – Olympic Games Tokyo MNH**

The 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games were a historic milestone, marking the first time the Olympics were held in Asia. These Games symbolized Japan’s post-war recovery and showcased technological advancements, including the first use of satellite broadcasting for live global coverage.

Key Facts:

Dates: October 10–24, 1964
Participating Nations: 93
Athletes: 5,151 (4,473 men, 678 women)
Events: 163 across 19 sports
Opening Ceremony: Emperor Hirohito officially opened the Games.
Olympic Flame: Lit by Yoshinori Sakai, born in Hiroshima on the day of the atomic bombing (August 6, 1945), symbolizing peace and resilience.

Major Highlights:

1. Athletics:

Abebe Bikila (Ethiopia) – Defended his marathon title (won barefoot in 1960) but this time wore shoes, becoming the first to win back-to-back marathons.
Bob Hayes (USA) – Won the 100m sprint in a record 10.0 seconds, later becoming an NFL star.
Billy Mills (USA) – Pulled off a legendary upset in the 10,000m, becoming the first and only American to win this event.

2. Swimming:

Don Schollander (USA) – Won four gold medals, dominating freestyle events.
Dawn Fraser (Australia) – Won her third consecutive 100m freestyle gold, a feat unmatched until 2021 (Katie Ledecky).

3. Gymnastics:

Larisa Latynina (Soviet Union) – Won six medals (2 gold, 2 silver, 2 bronze), extending her total to 18 Olympic medals, a record that stood until Michael Phelps broke it in 2012.

4. Judo’s Olympic Debut:

Judo made its first Olympic appearance, with Japan’s Anton Geesink (Netherlands) shocking the host nation by winning the open-weight division, defeating a Japanese opponent.

5. Volleyball’s Debut:

Women’s volleyball became an Olympic sport, with Japan’s women’s team—nicknamed the “Oriental Witches”—winning gold.

6. Football (Soccer):

Hungary won gold, continuing their dominance in Olympic football.

Legacy:

Marked Japan’s emergence as an economic powerhouse.
First Olympics held in Asia, paving the way for later events in Seoul (1988), Beijing (2008), and Tokyo (2020).